Burner control device



Sept. 10, 1935. w. T. BRADBURY BURNER CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 5, 1953c/"l'ff'fQ I n ver for QW//fam 76x Level Patented Sept. 10, 1935 NITESTATES orrcl:

BURNER CONTROL DEVICE William T. Bradbury, Kankakee, will., assignor toFlorence Stove Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication May 5, 1933, Serial No. 669,543 3 Claims. (Cl. 251-1) 6 Instarting a burner using a liquid fuel, such as oil, the burner is-firstiiooded with fuel which is ignited and serves to heat the burner to thepoint where the incoming fuel is completely vaporized. It is desirable,from the standpoint of convenience to be able to flood the burnerquickly, and the flow of fuel for the maximum rate of iburning after thefuel is being vaporized is insufficient for such quick ooding. The flowfor flooding the burner quickly is, however, too great to permit itscontinuance after the burner is heated. The flow must therefore bereduced when the burner is heated sumciently to vaporize vthe fuel.

The general object of the invention is to prov vide a control device fora burner of this type,

which may be adjusted to permit a rate of iiow of fuel lying anywherewithin the range required for normal operation of the burner, which maybe manipulated to permit a flow suiiicient to ilood the burner quickly,and which will automatically reduce the iiow from the iioodingA rate toany rate of normal operation to which it has previously been adjusted.

Another object is to provide a control device for a burner of this type,which may be set to prevent accidental operation of the device at itsflooding rate. j

A further object is to provide a burner control device which is simpleand safe to operate and is inexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying thefeatures of the invention and showing the device'in the closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. Al but showing the device opened forflooding the burner.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but of a modied form of device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modied form of thedevice.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a body member havinga passage therethrough adapted to be connected to a fuel supply and theburner, and means for controlling the flow of fuel through said passage.This means is movably mounted within the body member and may beadjusted, by hand, by a rotary movement 'A to control the flow withinthe range of normal operation of the burnerand oy a sliding orrectilinear movement to permit quick ooding of the burner in startingit. In orderthat the flooding may be automatically stopped when the-hand is removed from the device, spring means 5 is provided opposingsaid sliding movement.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the device comprises a bodymember III having a passage therethrough adapted to be connected at itsrespective ends toa fuel supply and the burner as by threadedconnections I I. Within the body is a valve controlling the iiow throughsaid passage comprising a valve seat I2 formed in the body andpreferably tapered, and an adjustable valve stem I3 having acorrespondingly tapered portion Il cooperating with said seat. The valvestem I3 has an extension I5 beyond the tapered portion I4, which has asnug fit with a part of the body indicated at IB.

In the extension I5 are one or more longitudi- 20 nal tapered groovesI'I which are closed at one end by the snug-fitting portion I6 of thebody when the valve is closed. When the valve stem I3 is vmovedlongitudinally to disengage the tapered portion I4 of the stem" and theseat I2, 25 the grooves I'I extend beyond the snug-fitting portion I6 ofthe body and permit a flow of fuel sumcient for normal operation of theburner, the distance said grooves extend determining the rate of flow.y, 30

For such rotary adjustment of' the valve stem for normal feeding offuel, it is threaded into a nut 20 mounted within the body and having afixed position relative to the body during such adjustment. Thus, thisadjustment of the valve is accomplished by a rotary movement. To rotatethe stem in effecting such adjustment, the

, stem is extended beyond the body where it is provided with a handle orknob 2l, a gland 22 being provided to prevent leakage around the 40stem. .To limit the range of such adjustment of the valve stem, a. pin23,projects from the body and constitutes an abutment for a lug 24extending from the handle 2 I, thus limiting the adjustment to thatprovided by one revolution of the stem.

For flooding the'burner, the grooves I1 inthe valve stem I3 provide aiiow which is insuflicient to flood the burnermin a. short time. Topermit a much greater flow, the valve stem may be-.59

moved until the extension I5 thereon is completely removed from withinthe lsnug-fitting portion I6 of the body so that the Y'fuel may flowfreely therethrough,l as shown i Fig. 2. For

such movement of the stem, rectilinear move- .5 5-

ment thereof is provided by mounting it slidably within the body, andthe nut 20, which is threaded to the stem, is also slidable within arecess in the body so that the nut and stem slide as a unit.

To hold the nut 20 against rotation and yet permit such slidingmovement, the nut is provided with a longitudinal groove cut in itsperiphery and a set screw 26 threaded into the body extends radiallyinto the groove.

-One feature of the invention is the provision oi?` means forautomatically reducing the flow through'the valve from the flooding rateto whatever rate within the normal Arange the valve may be adjusted. Tothis end, a spring is mounted within the recess inl the body for the nut20 so that it bears against the nut to oppose the sliding movement ofthe valve stem, such movement permitting flooding of the burner. Thespring 30 thus serves to hold the nut 20 in a r xed position relative tothe body when the valve stem is adjusted by the handle 2|, so that thespring. does not affect such adjustment. It also serves to return thestem from the flooding position -to the position to which it haspreviously been adjusted by rotary movement. To effect the slidingmovement of the valve stem, a hand ring 3| by which the valve stem maybe pulled is provided on the end of thesteml extending beyond the body.

The modied form of device shown in Fig. 3v

comprises a body 40 having an inlet 4| adapted to be connected to a fuelsupply and an outlet 42 adapted to be connected to the burner.Connecting said inlet and outlet are a. pair of pas- ,sages 43 and 44vrespectively controlled by means such as valves, indicated generally at45 and 46, the valve 45 being constructed for regulating the flow withinthe range of normal' operation of the burner and the valve-46 permittingiioding of the burner. The valve 45 is generally of the sametype as thatshown in Fig. 1 except that it is threaded directly into the body 40 asat 41 and hence is not slidable to permit ow for iiooding the burner.Thus, it merely controls the iow within the range for normal operationofthe burner and is operated by a rotary movement. The valve 46 comprisesa tapered valve seat 50 formed in the body 40 and a valve stem 5| havingcorrespondingly tapered portion 52 coopf A erating with the seat 50 toclose the passage.

'Ihe valve stem 5|, it will be noted, is moved inwardly of the body toopen the valve. 'Ihe stem 5| is slidably mounted in the body and extendsoutwardly of the body, a gland 53 being provided to prevent leakage, anda push button 54 is mounted on the outer end of the stemby which thevalve may be opened. .The gland 53 includes a cap 55 having a cup-shapedouter end in which a spring 56 is located, the spring surrounding thevalve stem 5| and bearing against push button 54, tending to closethe-valve. Thus, the valve 46 is operableby a rectilinear movement tothe position indicated in Fig. 3 by dotted lines, to permit a flow foriiooding the burner, and automatically shuts oi such flow as soon as thehand isrre-v moved from the push butto'n.

This form of the device also includes means to prevent accidentaloperation of the valve 46.

By rotating the valve stem 5| suiiiciently to disaline the screw 158 andnotch 51, accidental operation of the valve 46 is prevented. v

The modified form of device shown in Fig. 4 is similar to the deviceshown in Fig. 3 but is, 5 constructed to avoid the use oi a gland toprevent leakage. The supply of fuel is usually carried in a tank sothatthe fuel has a predetermined level. In the device shown in Fig. 4, thevalve 46 is provided with an elongated stem 6U l0 and a cap 6|closingthe body 40 around the stem is also elongated sufliciently to extendabove the level of the fuel. Thus, the use of a gland to preventVleakage is avoided.

In the operation of the device shown in Figs. 15

1 and 2, the valve stem I3 is adjusted by rotating the handle 2|, thusturning the stem within the nut 20 to regulate the flow of fuel fornormal operation of the burner. To flood the burner, the ring 3| ispulled to give a wide opening of 20 the valve, as shown in Fig. 2,permitting sufficient ow to ilood the burner quickly, the nut 20 movingwith the stem. vAs soon as 'the burner is flooded, the ring 3| isreleased and spring 30, bearing against the nut, moves the stem back 25to the position to which it was adjusted by rotary movement.

In the operation of 'the form shown in Fig. 3, or the form shown in Fig.4, the valve 45 is adjusted by rotation to regulate the flow for normal30 operation of the burner. To ood the burner, the button 54 is pushed,moving the stem 5| to the dotted line position-shown in Fig. 3, andpermitting a free flow tothe burner. Whe'n the hand is removed from thepush button, the spring 35 -ton 54'may be slightly rotated to dlsalinethe screw 58 a ,d thel notch 51, thereby preventing opening mo ement ofthe stem 5|.

The subject matter shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing is covered bymy divisional applica- 45 tion Serial No. 20,340, tiled May 8,1935.

From the above description, it will be `apparent that I have provided aburner control device which may be adjusted to regulate the ow requiredfor nermal operation of the burner and 50 may beoperated to permit alarge flow to flood the burner quickly. and which will automaticallyreduce the flow to the rate of normal operation to which it has beenpreviously adjusted. It is also apparent that the device may be set sothat 55 the burner will not be accidentally flooded. The device issimple and safe to operate and is inexpensive in construction.

I claim as my invention: 4

1. A device for controlling the flow of fuel to 60 a burner comprising,in combination, -a valve body having a fuel passage therethrough, valvemeans normally closing said passage and movable with a rotary motion toopen said passage gradually to permit of a regulated flow for normal op-65 eration of the burner, means for limiting said rotary motion to themaximum regulated flow required for said normal operation, 'said valvemeans also being movable with a rapid rectilinear motion to open saidpassage to an extent greater than said4 normal maximum to permit ow ofv4fuel inl an unregulated amount suillcient to flood the burner, andspring means opposing said rectilinear movement.

2. A device for controlling the flow of fuel to a burner comprising, incombination, a valve body having a fuel passage therethrough providedwith a valve seat, a movable valve within said body and cooperating withsaid valve Vseat for normally closing said passage, said'valve beingmovable in two steps and being fashioned to -provide during the iirststep a slow graduated movement to effect a regulated iiow for normaloperation of the burner and during its second step to move rapidly clearof said seat to permit a greater flow for flooding the burner, saidvalve being both rotatably and rectilinearly movable from a closedposition, means to limit the range of rotary movement of said valve tothat permitting said regulated ow, and spring means opposing rectilinearmovement of the valve for automatically stopping said greater flow whenthe valve is released. i

3. A device for controlling the flow of fuel to a burner comprising, incombination, a valve body having a fuel passage therethrough providedwith a port, a valve member having one end fitting snugly in said portand having in one side 5 thereof a tapered slot opening from said end,said valve member being rotatably movable from a position where saidslot is closed by said port to a position -v where said slot permits aregulated iiow through said port for normal operation of 10 linearmovement of the valve member for auto- 15 matically returning said endtoa positionwi-thin said port.

WIILIAM T. BRADBURY.

